Key Highlights

• Indian middle and long-distance athletes are training at SAI's NCOE in Bengaluru ahead of Asian Games 2026.
• The camp uses a specialised smart track that captures real-time performance data.
• The camp features Avinash Sable, Parul Chaudhary, Krishan Kumar, Manju Rani, Priyanka and others.
• The 73-member Indian athletics contingent will compete at Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.
• The smart track was also used by CWG 2026 para-athletics medalists Dilip Mahadu Gavit and Mohammed Basil.

With the Asian Games 2026 just around the corner, India's top athletes have shifted into their highest preparation gear. And at the heart of that preparation sits an unusual advantage — a specialised 'smart track' at the Sports Authority of India's (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Bengaluru, one of a kind in India. The centre is currently hosting a critical national coaching camp for the country's middle and long-distance runners, blending cutting-edge sports technology with world-class coaching expertise in the final stretch before the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

For India's medal hopefuls, this camp represents exactly the kind of scientifically supported preparation environment that global athletic performance now demands.

The Camp That's Powering India's Preparation

The Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru has emerged as a crucial preparation base for India's middle and long-distance runners heading to the Asian Games 2026.

A national coaching camp is currently underway at the SAI centre, scheduled to run until September 8. The camp — sanctioned under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) — features some of India's most exciting athletics talents.

Among those training at the camp are 800m runner Krishan Kumar, steeplechase star Avinash Sable, high jumpers Aadarsh Ram and Supriya B, decathlete Thowfeeq N, middle and long-distance runner Parul Chaudhary, and race walkers Manju Rani and Priyanka.

All eight are part of the approved 73-member Indian athletics contingent (35 men and 38 women) heading to the Asian Games — with the marquee event scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.

The 'Smart Track' Advantage

Beyond the conventional camp infrastructure, athletes in Bengaluru have access to a genuinely unique advantage — a specialised smart track that allows coaches to capture real-time performance data during training.

"This is one of a kind in India," said Suresh Kumar, Coach (Athletics) at SAI NCOE Bengaluru, explaining the technology embedded into the track. "So what happens is when the athlete runs, we get the real-time speed data. We get the split timings wherever the gates are placed, then the total timing we get, as well as the stride length and the stride frequency. All this data is captured in real time. This helps a lot for the athletes in the training," Kumar was quoted as saying by SAI Media.

That level of data granularity — real-time speed, split times, stride length, stride frequency — is exactly the kind of information that separates modern elite training environments from traditional ones. Every one of those data points can help an athlete fine-tune their technique, optimise their race strategy and identify small improvements that can matter enormously at the international level.

A Track With Proven Champions

The smart track's credibility is anchored in real, recent results. It was used extensively for training by Commonwealth Games 2026 para-athletics medalists Dilip Mahadu Gavit and Mohammed Basil — ahead of the Glasgow Games.

The duo went on to finish in the top two positions in the men's 100m T47 category at CWG 2026, winning gold and silver medals respectively. That kind of tangible medal-level outcome linked to training at the smart track adds serious weight to its value as a preparation tool.

Electronic Timing at Training Level

For athletes, the ability to replicate electronic timing conditions during training is another meaningful advantage. It gives them the closest possible experience to what they will encounter in high-stakes competitions.

"The athletes are very happy because they get to understand and find out the real data based on the electronic timing, not just during training but in any competitions that take place here," Kumar said.

That's a critical distinction. Training with electronic timing accuracy allows athletes to build confidence in their times, calibrate their pacing, and mentally prepare for competition-level precision — all before they set foot on the actual competition track.

The Technology Behind the Track

The smart track was installed at the Bengaluru centre in 2024 and has since been used extensively by elite athletes training at the facility. Its timing gates are positioned both on the straight and around the curve, allowing coaches to analyse different phases of a run.

An accompanying app enables the data to be accessed immediately for post-run analysis — turning every training session into a rich, data-driven learning opportunity.

Notably, the technology has been designed to work alongside existing athletics infrastructure rather than requiring a completely new track. According to Kumar, the system can be installed on any existing synthetic track by embedding the magnetic gates beneath the surface — with installation possible within a single day.

That scalability is a significant point. If proven successful at Bengaluru, similar smart tracks could potentially be installed at other SAI centres across the country — democratising access to high-tech training environments for athletes nationwide.

A Camp Backed by Elite Coaching

The pre-Asian Games camp at SAI Bengaluru is combining high-level coaching, sports science and technology in an integrated preparation environment. The camp includes specialised coaches such as race-walking coach Ronald Gerd Weigel, jumps coach Sahana Kumari Nagaraj Gobbargumpi, along with coach Kalyan Chaudhary and masseuse Meena Sagar Ugale.

That kind of specialised coaching structure — matched to the specific event categories being trained — reflects the maturity of India's current elite sports preparation model.

Details Coaches Couldn't Capture Before

The smart track also gives coaches information that would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible, to capture manually during a sprint.

"You even get the split timing because, for a sprint coach, if I'm at the finish line or like 40m or 50m away from when the athlete is starting, we will be able to get the electronic split time," Kumar explained.

That's a game-changer for sprint coaches. In the past, coaches would have to rely on visual estimation, handheld stopwatches or portable timing setups that couldn't match the accuracy of embedded electronic timing. Now, every phase of a run can be analysed with precision.

Weather-Proof Training

Another meaningful advantage of the embedded magnetic timing gates is that they eliminate weather-related training disruptions. Unlike conventional portable timing equipment, the smart track's technology remains embedded in the surface — meaning it can be used in rain or dusty conditions.

"So with this, we don't have to worry about the weather. We don't have to worry about the wear and tear, nothing. It's just like it's already there. You just need to run over in between that. The real-time data is always available," Kumar added.

For a national preparation camp on a tight countdown to a major international event, weather-proof training reliability is an operational advantage that shouldn't be underestimated.

Why It Matters

The Asian Games are one of the most important multi-sport events on India's international sporting calendar. Every medal won at the Asian Games not only elevates individual athletes but also contributes to India's overall standing in the global sports ecosystem — building the pipeline of experience, ambition and confidence that will eventually shape performances at Olympic Games and world championships.

The kind of scientifically supported preparation environment now being offered at SAI Bengaluru reflects exactly the direction India's elite sports ecosystem needs to move in. Global sporting powerhouses have long relied on data-driven training, real-time performance analytics, and highly specialised coaching structures. India is now steadily building the same kind of infrastructure — and the Bengaluru smart track is a strong example of that direction.

Athlete Impact

For the athletes at the camp — from Avinash Sable in steeplechase to Parul Chaudhary in middle and long-distance running to the race walkers Manju Rani and Priyanka — the smart track provides a direct performance advantage. Every session, every split, every stride is captured, analysed and refined.

That kind of continuous, data-supported iteration is what modern high-performance sport is built on. It allows athletes to arrive at competitions with a deeper self-knowledge, a stronger sense of race pacing, and a clearer understanding of their own performance parameters.

Institutional and Sports Ecosystem Impact

For the Sports Authority of India and India's broader athletics ecosystem, the smart track at Bengaluru is more than a piece of equipment. It is a model — one that demonstrates how technology, coaching and infrastructure can be integrated to serve elite performance.

If the model succeeds at scale — through Asian Games medals, world championship performances, and eventually Olympic outcomes — it will likely inspire similar investments at other SAI centres across the country.

The Bigger Picture

India's preparation for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya is unfolding at a level of technological sophistication that would have been almost unimaginable a decade ago. Real-time performance data. Weather-proof electronic timing. World-class specialist coaches. Scientific race analysis. And a preparation base that has already produced Commonwealth Games medalists.

For India's athletes, the tools available today are among the best they have ever had access to. The infrastructure is world-class. The coaching is elite. The technology is cutting-edge. And the ambition is clear.

As the countdown to Aichi-Nagoya continues, the athletes training at SAI Bengaluru will carry with them not just their years of hard work but also the confidence that comes from being backed by one of India's most technologically advanced preparation environments.

When the Indian contingent takes to the track and field in Japan from September 19, the story won't just be about medals won or personal bests broken. It will be a story about how far India has come in building the systems, science and support structures required to compete at the highest levels of world sport. And the smart track at SAI Bengaluru will be quietly proud of the part it played in preparing them for that moment.